Local
SEPTA's South Broad Concourse to Fully Reopen Monday After Nearly Seven Years
The final section of SEPTA's underground concourse linking City Hall and Walnut-Locust stations will reopen Monday, restoring a key pedestrian route through Center City for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The South Broad Concourse, SEPTA's network of underground tunnels connecting City Hall and Walnut-Locust stations, will fully reopen Monday for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered it nearly seven years ago.
Most of the concourse reopened this summer ahead of the World Cup, MLB All-Star Game and semiquincentennial celebrations, but the South Penn Connectorâa half-loop along South Penn Square linking East Market and Broad streetsâremained closed. That final corridor will now be accessible, completing the concourse ahead of the winter season.
SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer said the reopening gives riders more flexibility. "We are excited to reopen the final piece of this connection that provides riders with easier access to SEPTA services," Sauer said in a statement. "The South Broad Concourse is at the heart of the SEPTA system, and reopening allows riders more options to reach their connection or final destination."
During the closure, SEPTA installed new security cameras, bi-directional roto-gates and signage. The transit authority also expanded its cleaning staff and police force to ensure the pathways are maintained long-term.
The concourse's appearance has changed as well. Participants in Mural Arts' same-day work program painted 200 underground columns in bright geometric patterns designed by Philadelphia-based illustrator Lauren Cat West.
The reopening restores a vital pedestrian link through Center City, offering an alternative to street-level traffic and weather for thousands of daily commuters. For a transit system still recovering ridership after the pandemic, the complete concourse represents both a practical amenity and a symbolic step toward normalcy.